Decolonial Narratives

This chapter introduces key historiographic and philosophical perspectives on the contemporary ‘Postcolony’—a recurrent theme within this book. The first section looks at art historical narratives and how these have been framed by colonial powers, with a focus on the lasting influence of nineteenth and twentieth century European Modernism. Following this, the lens is expanded to include perspectives on cultural and locational identity, and decolonial challenges to Western aesthetic and epistemic regimes, explored through the work of diverse writers, philosophers and historians. The chapter concludes with a brief account of some influential discourses on spatial politics and Australia’s unique socio-topological positioning.